Enfys scheme gains pace

In recent months, the Enfys Cycle Scheme has begun to rack up its first mileage. Fresh on the back of a stellar year for Great Britain’s elite cyclists, Cardiff has stepped up to integrate the nation’s new found love for cycling within its infrastructure.

New signs to Cardiff Bay depicting the new cycle routes

The plan, strategised 2010 following a brief to the Local Transport Project (LTP) organisation, aims to provide safe cycling routes for Cardiff’s residents to key destinations across the city.

Cardiff Council’s Cheryl Owen pointed out that on top of reducing congestion, the success of cyclists such as Wales’s Geraint Thomas has really added extra impetus.

“It’s like a perfect storm. With all the success of the athletes, central government interest has really gone up, allowing us to provide this new network to Cardiff”

Q&A:

Cheryl Owen

Travel Plan Officer

How did the Enfys Plan come about?

“We commissioned the LTP to design for us a strategic cycle network plan in 2010, and they identified a number of core routes throughout the city identified from data looking at which people were most likely to cycle, and mapped this onto the city towards key destinations. The council adopted this in 2011, and we’ve been working to put these in place ever since.”

Where did the name ‘Enfys’ come from?

“We held a competition for members of the public to nominate a name, and we went with the Welsh for ‘rainbow’ because the routes are all colour-coded. It fits really well.”

When is construction slated to be completed?

“It’s a five year programme of work, which means it will take us up to 2016.”

All this has come at an opportune time in terms of interest, hasn’t it?

“It’s really fortuitous now that we’ve just had London 2012. From both a political and public level it’s generated so much interest. Out most recent Ask Cardiff survey showed us there has been a sharp rise in the numbers of people cycling. If Enfys can help this trend continue then it would be ideal.

Bay, bike, cycle, enfys, Network, Routes